What did this frame belong to?

[absolutsnwbrdr]

OK interweb super sleuths.... I know its a long shot, but hey why not ask the question anyway.

Anybody have any idea what this frame is from? Recognize the curved front? The rear bumper with angled ends?

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It was converted to a utility trailer years ago and I acquired it last spring. I'm thinking that its a pop-up from the 60's or 70's. It had a pretty old 1-7/8" coupler, the extendable swing down stabilizers were a style I've never seen, and it looks like there are tabs that were welded on the curved section of tongue which probably held propane tank(s).

I'm finally getting around to cleaning it up a bit. The floor measures 78-1/2" wide by 96" long.

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Knowing what it started as really isn't all that important, as I will be replacing the coupler and suspension, but I'm just curious. Thanks!

[Dale M.]

Has a lot of similarities to a popup/tent camp trailer.. Curved front tongue bracing is kind of new one on me but maybe it was built that way to support/protect propane tanks, but the width and boxed wheel wells sort of says popup/tent trailer.. Stabilizers are another clue...

Dale

[Philip]

Older popup camper. I don't think is was one of the big name brands. I have only seen a couple of those frames over the decades.

I bought a frame like that 30 years ago and made a flat deck out of it. The guy told me there wasn't any name tags on the camper before he stripped it off.

[absolutsnwbrdr]

Clues! Was cleaning up the tongue to replace the coupler and came across some numbers stamped in under all the dirt, paint, and rust.

1965
48682

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[Dale M.]

Year and chassis ID number, predecessor to today's VIN...

Dale

[aggie79]

Horse/livestock trailer (with running boards)?

[absolutsnwbrdr]

Year and chassis ID number, predecessor to today's VIN...

Dale

Yup, exactly. Now to try to figure out make and model.

Horse/livestock trailer (with running boards)?

I'd be afraid to load this up with too much weight. Don't know if it looks quite stout enough for that.



Isn't there a way to estimate leaf spring capacity based on the number of leaves and the span?

[KCStudly]

Axle tube diameter usually gets you at least into the range of load ratings.

Spring width, thickness, length and leaf count can be useful clues, too.

Not a horse trailer, those things are massively built.

[Dale M.]

Axle tube diameter usually gets you at least into the range of load ratings.

Spring width, thickness, length and leaf count can be useful clues, too.

Not a horse trailer, those things are massively built.

I get impression (from pic) it has solid steel (maybe 1.5 inch square) dropped axle typical of early "travel trailers"... Not a tube axle...

Dale

[KCStudly]

All I could see was the xmbr blocking the view of the axle.

[Philip]

The axle under the frame I bought was a square axle. It was cast iron also. The hub had a 3" drop. I replaced that axle with a straight round tube axle. I needed the extra height for what I was doing.

That frame had nice welds in the amount it should have. No light tack welds anywhere. No skipped spaces on cross member welds. Full weld on each one.

[absolutsnwbrdr]

Sorry guys forgot about this thread.


Its a straight axle, but not sure of its size, or if its solid or not. I'll have to crawl under and see how the spindles extend from the ends of the axle. Its not a U-channel, and its not a round axle. Definitely square, but not very large - maybe 1" or 1-1/2". More info to come...

[Philip]

The frame I had the axle was 1.250 square. I was going to extend it. That is when I found it was cast.